Air-compressor.



.1. W. LAWHEAU.

AIH COMPRESSOR.

, APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5, I9I8 Patented Feb. 25, 191). @SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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IR-GOEPEESSOR.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

.application len Mer/ch IMS. Serial lio. slles.

To all whom t mayconcern:

Be it known that l, JAMES l/V. LAWHEAD, a citizen of the United States, `residing,r at Wilmington, in the county of Clinton andrState of hio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Compressors, of which the folio ing is a specification.

This invention relates to lfluid compressors, and has for a primary ob'ect to provide a compressor wherein is embodied improved features of construction which are designed to facilitate the manufacture and assemblage of the compressor parte, and to render the saine capable of being economically and eiii` ciently fabricated.

Another obj ect of the invention resides in an air compressor wherein is included a pair` of alined and opposed cylinders, which are adapted to receive a common piston, said latter beingof uniform diameter throughout its length and of lesserdiameter than the bores of said cylinders, whereby the piston is capable of being inserted into its oper ative position within said cylinders subsequent to the operation of alining and assembling the latter.

A further object is to provide an improved form of piston for use in connection with a duid compressor embodying opposed cylinders. wherein is provided improved means for eiiecting the reciprocation 4of said piston without appreciably increasing its diametrical proportions, whereby ease and convenu ience are obtained in assembling the compresser parte.

A. still 'further object is toiprovide an air compressor possessing novel features of construction which permit the same to be readily connected with a powerimparting unit, and wherein the diametrical alinemcnt of its opposed cylinders is insured.

With these and other objects in view as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention accordingly consists in the novel features 4of construction. combination lof' elements and arrangement of parts, hereinafter nlly described in the following specification and having the scope thereof pointed out with particularity inthe appended claims.

ln the drawings, wherein has been shown one of the preferred embodiments of the invention, Figure l a front view of the iiuid compressor, constructed in accordance with the preferred principles of the invention.

r 2. is a top plan view of the compressor, and disclosing more particularly its application to an electric motor.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional View, taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

' Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view, the plane of which beingl disclosed by the li -e 5-5 of Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional along the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the comm presser piston. f

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken through one of the cylinder heads, and dism closing` more particularly the valve mechanism thereof, Y

Similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the fluid compressor A shown therein, and comprisingl the preferred form of the invention, is coupled for operation with a power imparting unit B, which latter in this instance consists of an electric motor, although any other equivalent driving means may be employed Ain lieuA of said motor iii conditions warrant such substitution. Connected with the casing C of the motor, prefview taken ,erably by means of bolts 1, is a cylinder casting l). This member is integrally formed to include an end wall 2, for incasing one end of the motor B, and with a plurality of horizontally alined and opposed compressor cylinders 3 and 4, said latter being connected with the wall 2 by means of integral webs 5, which are so constructed as to provide a lubricant containing well 6. Thus it will be manifest that in the preferred forml of the invention, the casing l) provides an eiicient, easily assembled and economical method of forming the cylinders 3 and ,so as to eliect their convenient association with the motor E and to further insure the exact alii'iement-1 of the piston bores 7 thereof. Hitherto, it has been connn'on in the opposed type of compressor to form the cylinders separately, in order that'the space usually found between the same could receive the so-called Scotch yoke piston driving connection, hence in assembling the compressor, it has been found necessary to assemble the piston and the operating mechanism therefor in operative relation before mounting the cylinders ententes-ren. as. ieee. s

(a: uuml in their final positions. .This latter construction, it will be apparent, presented dicu'lties in properly alining and maintaining the elinement of the cylinder sections and, furthermore, rendered the compressor didicult to adjust and repair. Through the construction or the casting l), it is possible to readily and securely mount the compressor structure in connection with the motor B, and through its integral formation, the bores 7 of the cylinders thereof may be accurately machined so as tobe in perfect or true alinement and to be capable of maintaining such alinement.

Mounted for reciprocation Within the cylinder body 7 is a piston 8 of novel' and improved construction. This piston is substantially of integra-l formation and is of the same diameter' throughout' its length, and hence of lesser diameter than the bore' 7, this construction being employed to facilitate the insertion of the piston within said cylinders. The latter are provided with removable heads 9, whereby when the end oiE the same is removed, said piston may be longitudinally inserted into said -`cores, said heads 9 being securedA in position through the mediumv of lag bolts 10, which are threaded into openings formed in the ends of the cylinders 3 and 4. The casting l) is provided with a bushing 11 Which is adapted to receive the armature shaft 12 of the motor B, which 'shaft being; formed to project for Wai-diy through a Wall 13 'into the well 6. The outer extremity voi" the shaft is pro vided with a listed crank 14, from Whichprotrudes a lixed stud 15, the latter being adapted to be positioned Within an opening,r 16 forined in the sliding block element 17. This element is situated to vertically reciprocate Within a socket 18 formed centrally of the piston 8 upon the rotation of the shaft 12 and its connected crank 14, Where by the reciprocation or stroke of said piston will oe eiiccted. ln assembling this. structure in association With the motor B, the piston 8 is positioned Within the cylinders S and 4, and the members 14 and 17 are situated in cooperative relation with /the socket i8 thereof, so that when the casting D is passed over the projecting extremity of the shaft l2 and made fast to the motor casing by means of the bolts 1, said shaft extremity will be positioned within the shaft opening of the crank 14. rl`hen subsequent to the adjusting of. said crank to conform with the stroke of said piston, the former is made ist to the shaft 12 by means of a set 'screw or other equivalent means 19. Thus it will be manifest that the present invention provides a structure which permits of the convenient association or assembling of its several parts and eliminates the use of a Scotch yoke or other similarly enlarged driving connection for edecting the operation of a compressorpistonpand thus enables said piston 8 to he positioned within the compressor cylinders without necessitating the removal of the llatter from their proper operative positions.

With regard to the valves of the compressor A, the iston 8 is provided With'eud Walls 2O an a Webbed body 21, which permits of a free circulation of air through the piston up tothe Walls20. These ond walls are formed with valve seats in which are positioned. opposed valve heads 22, said latter being provided with inwardly projecting valve stems 23, mounted for reciprocation within guides 24; integrally formed with the Walls 20. The ends oi. the stems 255 are preferably le uipped with Washers and between the (latter and the guides 2li there are situated coiled springs 26, which no1 mally tend to maintain the valve heads 22 in seated relation with their respective seats, and thereby normally closings plurality of clrcularly arranged openings 27, which ane employed to establish communication between the normally closed cylinder bores 7 and the atmosphere. Cotter pins 2i pass through the inner ends of the valve stems 23 and serve to maintain the Washers 25 in their pro er positions thereon. rl`hus it will be seen t at upon the reci rocation of the piston 8, the valves 22 Wil be alternately opened and closed by the vacuums created through the pistonls reciprocation within the bores 7 and by virtue of theaction of the springs 26, thus automatically effecting' the controlled admittance of air into said cylinder bores.'

The heads 9' of the cylinders are formed with longitudinally extending bores 28, which terminate at their inner ends in opp'ositely disposed valve seats for the rece, tion of valves 22, the outer extremities of the bores 28 being threaded for the reception of removable plug elements 30. Stems 31 project outwardly from the valvesv 29l and terminate Within guide openings 32 formed in the elements 30, and springs 33 are situated to surround the stems 31 and are interposed between the valves 29 and the inner Walls oli the elements 30. By' this construction, it Will bc manifest that by virtue of the action 'of the springs 3l, the valves 29 -i'vill be normally maintained -in engagement with their respective seats. Thus inV operation, uponv the reciprocation of the piston 8 in the direction of the arrow E, air will be admitted into one of the bores 7 bythe opening of the controlling valve Sii 22, said valve of course beingI opened ,i

of one of the heads 9, will be compressed so the bore i' will be discharged into one ot" the bores E28. It will of course be'under-y stood that this action takes place in' identically the same manner in both of the cylinders 3 and 4f.

Compressed fluid is compressor A, by providing the bores 28 with right-angularly disposed. and communicating passageways 35, which extend vertically and establish communication between the bores 28 and a horizontally extending passageway 36 extending longitudinally of the compressor and formed in the walls of the cylinders 3 and l and the heads 9. An outlet jet 37 is carried by the central portion of a pipe 38 through which the passageway 3G extends, and to which jet ay snitable connection (not shown) may be attached to lead the to11ipi-essecliii1id to a suitable point of discharge; l

From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been provided mechanism whereby the objects of `the invention have lbeen achieved, and that all of `the advantageous features above mentioned are, among others, present. The compressor described is capable ot being readily and conveniently associated with a driving' motor, and so constructed that the placing of the piston 8 therein may be readily accomplished. with ease and facility and without causing` the. demounting of the cylinders 3 and 4. The above desirable features have been prima-.

rily accomplished by forming the piston 8 so that the same will be of uniform diameter throughout its length, thereby eliminating use of enlarged means for effecting its reciprocation, and tnrther permits the cylinders 3 and el. to beintegrally cast. The motor is or' simple construction, contains but few and accessible parte, may be economically mannfaetured and is ne' likely to become out ot order or to occasion undue repairs.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and patentable is: V

1. An air compressor, comprising a pair 'ot horizont-ally alined integrally formed cylinders, a piston common to both ot said discharged from the cylinders and formed with a centrally disposed vertically extending socket, a block slidablymounted for vertical rotation within said socket and having its orbit of travel limited to approximately the vertical height ot .said socket, a motor shaft having its drivingv end removably journaled in a bearing formed with said cylindersv` and means mounted upon the operative end of said shaft for effecting the rotation of said block and the consequent reciprocation of said piston.

'2. An air compressor, comprising a pair ot axially alined integrally formed cylinders having registering piston receiving bores extending completely therethrough, a single piston common to both of said bores and mounted for reciprocal movement therein, said piston being initially insertible into said bores by being moved lengthwise therein, removable head members carried by said cylinders and disposed to cover said bores, spring controlled valves carried by said piston and head members and responsive to suction and pressure created within said cylinders by the'reciprocation of said piston, a motor shaft removably jonrnaled in the bearing` formed in the connecting portion of said cylinders` and means cooperative with the end of said shaft to effect the reciprocation ot said piston, lsaid means lying' at all periods of its operation Within the diameter of said piston.

3. An air compressor, comprising a pair of axially alined cylinders, an open web connecting said cylinders and providing` a lubricant chamber, 'a piston common to both ot' said cylinders` and insertible lengthwise therein, removable head members carried by JAMES ld". Lilli/HEAD.

llitnesses Simeon' KnN'roN (lmscorit,

0. lV. llame. 

